At the height of the Coronavirus pandemic, the Chamber’s Recharge & Recover initiative partners rallied around short-term actions critical to recovery in a focused, cross-industry approach. Advocacy at the federal, state, and local levels focused on necessary funding, tax credits, grants, and loans that would enable businesses to remain viable participants in our regional economy.
While advocacy remains at the forefront of our work as a Chamber and as a business community at large, our efforts have become more broadly applicable and proactive instead of responding to the immediate needs in the business and civic communities.
Our federal legislative affairs, efforts throughout the Commonwealth, partnerships with businesses and counties, and city-based growth agenda continue to advance legislation that creates sustainable, inclusive economic activity across Greater Philadelphia.
Federal Legislative Affairs
Passage of the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) presents a historic opportunity to invest in projects that reconnect communities, increase access to transportation, and create jobs in our region. Leading up to the passage of the IIJA, the Chamber and its CEO Council for Growth (CEO Council) coordinated with public and private partners to develop a regional transportation strategy aimed at illustrating the impact of a key set of regional projects made possible through bold infrastructure investments. With the historic passage of IIJA, the Chamber and CEO Council will seek to accelerate the implementation of these identified projects in coordination with public partners and transportation leaders.
In addition, a $1.5 trillion FY2022 omnibus appropriations package was recently signed into law, which sets new spending levels for the federal government through the end of its fiscal year on September 30, 2022. Each year, the Chamber advocates for adequate funding for key spending accounts crucial to our regional economy and quality of life, including NIH, NCI, and NSF research; full funding for DOT authorized spending; workforce and training programs; need-based grants to low-income students; and housing programs, among many others.
Please highlight items important to our regional recovery that we should submit for congressional consideration in the FY2023 process by contacting Anselm Sauter, Director, Federal & State Affairs, at asauter@chamberphl.com.
Advocacy Efforts Throughout the Commonwealth
On February 8, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf presented his final budget address to the Commonwealth. While the Governor’s FY 2022-2023 budget is simply a blueprint for beginning the tough negotiations that will take place this spring in the General Assembly, language was included that provided a good start towards incremental progress in advancing an innovation agenda for Pennsylvania.
The Commonwealth has historically been an innovation leader, and Pennsylvania retains a staple of effective, scalable innovation assets, including a robust university system that generates significant R&D, as well as a set of capable technology-based economic development programs that operate across the state. However, in recent years, Pennsylvania’s innovation economy has gone flat, and the state has scaled back public investment in its most significant innovation resources. As a result, Pennsylvania’s innovation economy now faces discrete challenges.
In 2022, the Chamber and a pro-growth coalition of some 70+ local Chambers of Commerce are proposing five solutions to advance Pennsylvania’s innovation economy. These solutions are geared toward embracing an evidence-based innovation strategy, strengthening business R&D in the state, building centers of innovation, bolstering state investments in early-stage financing, and mitigating significant spatial divergence.
This support for strengthening Pennsylvania’s innovation economy aids our Recharge & Recover aspiration to boost jobs of the future and underscores the efforts of our regional Cell and Gene Therapy and Connected Health Initiative to become a top global cell and gene therapy hub.
For additional information about Grow PA, visit here. To receive a copy of the innovation case statement, please email Liz Ferry, Vice President, State Legislative Affairs, at lferry@chamberphl.com or call 215-356-8252.
Business & County Partnerships
As a means to further an action-driven agenda that supports key aspirations of our Recharge & Recover initiative, the Chamber has created the Southeastern Pennsylvania County & Business Partnership to attract businesses, retain and develop a strong workforce, enhance our regional quality of life, identify and support infrastructure priorities, and further our economic growth.
The Partnership, chaired by Chester County Commissioner Vice Chair Joshua Maxwell and Barbara Wadsworth, COO and Chief Nursing Officer at Main Line Health, is comprised of elected officials from the five southeastern Pennsylvania counties and business leaders from diverse industry sectors. The Partnership’s most recent quarterly meeting was held in January, during which time the group focused on the development of a state and federal advocacy agenda. Over the coming months, The Partnership will focus on identifying specific priorities for action related to the region’s quality of life and infrastructure needs.
Our Economic Development Working Group, within which each of the five Southeastern Pennsylvania counties are also represented, convenes quarterly and focuses on developing a shared regional message and continued collaboration on business and talent attraction efforts.
To learn more about the work of the Southeastern Pennsylvania County & Business Partnership, contact Ashley Miscevich, Manager, City & County Affairs, at amiscevich@chamberphl.com.
Inclusive Growth Coalition
In partnership with the African-American Chamber of Commerce of PA, NJ, & DE, Asian American Chamber for Greater Philadelphia, Independence Business Alliance, and Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Chamber has created the Inclusive Growth Coalition (IGC) to advocate for city-wide job and business growth through the Business Income & Receipts Tax (BIRT) and city wage tax reductions.
Particularly during economic recovery, we must grow jobs and businesses in Philadelphia to boost our economy, reduce poverty, maintain quality services, and make our city safer. The organizations of the IGC are committed to further informing local leaders, through factual data and diverse business experience, of the urgent need for policies that will grow ALL Philadelphia businesses and put more people back to work.
Since its inception in the fall of 2021, the IGC has met regularly with City Councilmembers and the Mayor to show the impact that city wage and BIRT tax reductions would have on business and job growth in Philadelphia. We have cultivated relationships with small, diverse business owners to help share stories of the struggles they face operating a business in the city.
As budget season approaches, we will continue to meet with Councilmembers and encourage our IGC partners, members, and other business stakeholders to provide public testimony at the upcoming budget hearings.
If you are interested in learning more about the Inclusive Growth Coalition (IGC), please reach out to Will Carter, Vice President, Local Government Advocacy & Engagement, at wcarter@chamberphl.com.
